Immigration: the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country. As simple as that sounds there is a lot to read in the fine print. Legal immigration isn't something that can be done in a short period of time, even if you are living miserably in another country and are immigrating to better your life.
That's where illegal immigration comes in.
Illegal immigration is when a person comes into another country without the required documentation, so essentially they just live under the radar.
Although it seems as if this isn't much of a problem as long as the undocumented immigrants follow the laws, it still puts the government in a predicament. More specifically, it creates a dilemma for the United States government.
There are a few ways to become a U.S. citizen, but they are all pretty timely. The first way to obtain citizenship is by having a Permanent Resident Green Card for at least five years, or for at least three years if you're filing as a spouse to a U.S. citizen. You must meet eligibility requirements such as 18 years of age, be able to read, write, and speak English, and you have to be a person of good moral character. The last option is to go through the 10-step naturalization process.
Everything listed above is part of a long procedure, so that is why some people avoid it and come to the country illegally. Even though that doesn't seem so bad, people also come into the country for reasons other than seeking a better life.
It's one thing to come into the United States illegally while obeying laws and seeking citizenship as well as the American Dream, but it's another to come here and disobey the law while bringing harm to citizens in any way.
Federation for American Immigration Reform wrote,
Tessa Tranchant, 16, was killed on March 30, 2007 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tessa and her friend, Ali Kunhardt, were sitting at a stoplight when Alfredo Ramos, an illegal alien from Mexico who was intoxicated and speeding, rear-ended their car. Ramos had a history of prior convictions, but due to Virginia Beach's sanctuary policies, he was never detained. He was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Apolinar Altamirano, an illegal alien from Mexico, murdered Grant Ronnebeck on January 22, 2015 in Mesa, Arizona. Ronnebeck was shot over a pack of cigarettes while he was working his shift at a convenience store. Altamirano was out on bond from a previous conviction while ICE determined whether he should be deported when he killed Ronnebeck.
These are just two out of the hundreds of cases that take place every year. Not only are innocent Americans murdered, but drugs are also trafficked over to the States and that is only fueling the drug epidemic that we are fighting as a country. A gang that goes by MS-13 is known for trafficking drugs over Mexicos border, killing American citizens, and raping young girls and women. There are multiple other groups that are known for this as well.
Brutal murdering, trafficking of drugs, and raping citizens is only a small issue of what a portion of the illegal immigrants are doing, but what about money of our fellow Americans? The policies that SNAP (welfare) has set in place, leaves wiggle room for undocumented immigrants to get support from them; this means that our tax dollars are going towards supporting them even though a majority of them are not paying taxes.
Illegal immigrants aren't supposed to get healthcare benefits, but if they are seriously hurt or injured then hospitals do not have a choice other than to treat them. Our tax dollars also pay for the deportation of illegal immigrants.
Legal immigration and immigrants that are truly trying to do it right are one thing... but do you want to take that chance, or would you rather keep your sons, daughters, wives and other family members safe? There are currently approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants residing in the United States, but how many of them are "good," and not a threat to you and your family? Where do we, as American citizens, draw the line?
